Veteran Engineers Stefan Dwornik and Darrell Soppe Lead Revised Technical Team
CLEARWATER, Fla. – After winning both the drivers’ championship and the coveted teams’ championship – for the second successive year – during a stellar 2012 campaign, Team Pelfrey today laid out its plan for continued success by confirming that rising American star Spencer Pigot will spearhead its attack on this year’s Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires.
The signing represents a natural progression for Pigot, who caught the eye of team owner Dale Pelfrey during his initial season of professional racing in 2011 and served as a Team Pelfrey Development Driver last year. The 19-year-old from Orlando, Fla., finished a close second in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda, winning eight of the 14 races while driving for Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing.
“I'm really looking forward to the upcoming season with Team Pelfrey,” said Pigot. “Dale has supported me for the past year, so now to be able to drive for his team is another great opportunity. I can't wait to get back on track and start working with the engineers to develop the car on Cooper Tires. It's going to be a very tough year but I'm excited about the new challenges. With a great team behind me I'm confident we can fight for wins.”
Team Pelfrey has undergone some internal changes during the off-season and has attracted the services of hugely experienced and widely respected race engineers Stefan Dwornik (pronounced duh-VOR-nik) and Darrell Soppe (SOPP-ee) to maintain its championship-winning level of performance. Dwornik, who hails originally from England, has worked with a variety of teams and drivers in INDYCAR, Indy Lights, Formula 3 and Formula Atlantic during his 35-plus years in the sport, while Soppe also has an extensive background in the INDYCAR ranks since joining Penske Racing and working on Rick Mears’ cars in the late 1970s.
“I am very proud of what this team has achieved in just two years and excited to have Spencer on our team for this season,” said Pelfrey. “He has shown his capabilities over the past few years and I know he is ready to make this next step. At the same time I am delighted that Stefan and Darrell have joined our team as we move forward. Their massive experience will be crucial in helping Spencer develop as a driver.”
Team Pelfrey expects to confirm a second driver for the entire 2013 Pro Mazda season in the near future.
ABOUT SPENCER PIGOT:
Spencer Pigot, 19, won numerous state and national karting championships before graduating to cars in 2009. He won the 2010 BFGoodrich/Skip Barber National Powered by Mazda, earning a scholarship via the MAZDASPEED Driver Development Program to contest the 2011 Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda. Pigot finished second in the title-chase with three wins, four poles and a track record to his name, and won five of six races to claim the 2012 Cooper Tires Winterfest mini-series. He also won prestigious Team USA Scholarships both in 2010 and 2011. His goal is to compete in the IZOD IndyCar Series and the Indianapolis 500. Follow Spencer at www.spencerpigot.com or on Facebook (Spencer Pigot Racing) and Twitter (@spencerpigot).
ABOUT TEAM PELFREY:
Dale Pelfrey’s race team, based in the St. Petersburg, Fla., area, is built upon the same principles he used 35 years ago when establishing his business career – hire the best, acquire the best and demand the best in order to achieve the most. After fielding cars in the IZOD IndyCar Series from 1998 until 2000, Team Pelfrey was reformed in 2011, winning on its Pro Mazda debut and going on to earn the Team Championship as well as second and third in the drivers’ title-chase with Connor De Phillippi and Nick Andries. Team Pelfrey went one better in 2012, guiding Jack Hawksworth to the Drivers’ Championship and earning a second successive Team Championship.